Legislative Alerts
Senate
In-Lieu of Tax Payments:
Senate
Bill 868 (Scarnati-R-Warren) increasing the in-lieu of tax payments for
Forestry Task Force: Senate Resolution 137 (Madigan-R-Bradford) re-establishing the Forestry Task Force supported by the Joint Legislative Air & Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee was adopted by the Senate and now moves to the House.
Eco-Terrorism: House Bill 213 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) adding the offense of eco-terrorism as a crime was reported from Senate Judiciary Committee after being amended.
Waste Tire Recycling: House Bill 1114 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) amends the Waste Tire Recycling Act was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Snowmobile Registration: Senate Bill 995 (MJ White-R-Venango) amending the ATV/Snowmobile registration requirements was reported from and referred back to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Eminent Domain: The Senate Appropriations Committee reported out Senate Bill 881 (Piccola-R-Dauphin) and Senate Bill 897 (Brightbill-R-Lebanon) making changes to the Eminent Domain Code in response to the U.S. Supreme Court Kelo decision, after being amended and are both on the Senate Calendar for action. NewsClip: Eminent Domain Bill Delayed
House
Federal Reclamation Fund: House Resolution 382, a concurrent resolution urging Congress to reauthorize the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, was passed by the House and now moves to the Senate for action.
Firearms & Hunting Legislation Proposed 2007
Clean Streams Penalties: House Bill 2042 (Reichley-R-Berks) that would increase penalties for water pollution under the Clean Streams Law was signed into law by Gov. Rendell. NewsClip: Corbett Praises General Assembly for Updated Penalties
Recycling Fee: House Bill 1902 (Rubley-R-Chester) extending the $2/ton Recycling Fee sunset date through 2012 was concurred by the House and now goes to the Governor for his action.
Regulatory Impacts: House Bill 236 (Pickett-R-Bradford) requiring the review of regulations for their impact on small business by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission was passed by the Senate unamended and now goes to the Governor for his action.
House
Infrastructure Record Disclosure: House Bill 854 (Rubley-R-Chester) establishing the Terrorism Infrastructure Disclosure Protection Act prohibiting the release of certain infrastructure records was amended by the House and returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote. NewsClip: Bill Would Protect Data on Security at Utilities
Multi-Municipal Agreements: House Bill 2063 (Boyd-R-Lancaster) that provides for multi-municipal Planning Code implementation agreements to deal with a local issue was passed by the House and now moves to the Senate for action.
Miner’s Day: House Resolution 795 (DeWeese-D-Greene) is a concurrent resolution designating December 19 as “Coal Miner’s Day” which was adopted by the House this week after being passed by the Senate.
Environmental Ed Center:
Senate Bill 410 (MWhite-R-Venango) establishing the
Access to Land for Recreation: House Bill 3007 (Semmel-R-Berks) limits the liability of landowners who open their property to hunting was reported from the House Game and Fisheries Committee and tabled.
Windmill Farm Assessments: Senate Bill 514 (Gordner-R-Columbia) amending the Tax Reform Act related to property tax assessments for windmill farms and other issues was reported from House Appropriations Committee.
Mercury Thermostats: House Bill 2658 (Rubley-R-Chester) prohibiting the sale and restricting the disposal of mercury thermostats was amended to add a requirement for a manufacturers collection program was tabled in the House.
California Car Standards: Senate Bill 1025 (Madigan-R-Bradford) to establish a Clean Vehicle Program that gives automakers two options to comply— use the California II or federal Tier II vehicle emissions standards and forming a stakeholders group was reported from House Appropriations Committee.
Natural Gas Decoupling: House Bill 2954 (Evans-R-Erie) prohibiting revenue decoupling in setting rates for the sale of natural gas was reported from House Appropriations.
Clean Diesel Technology: House Bill 2997 (Beyer-R-Monroe) providing a tax credit of up to $5,000 for new diesel technology was reported from the House Appropriations Committee.
Clean Diesel Tax Credit: Senate Bill 1139 (Browne-R-Lehigh) providing a tax credit for the installation of clean diesel technology was reported from House Appropriations.
Healthy Schools: The House Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee reported out Senate Bill 1209 (Waugh-R-York) Healthy Foods, Healthy Schools was referred to House Appropriations Committee.
House
Federal Reclamation Fund: House Resolution 382, a concurrent resolution urging Congress to reauthorize the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, was passed by the House and now moves to the Senate for action.
Bills Introduced
These environmental bills were introduced this week
Clean Water Penalties: House Bill 2214 (Readshaw-D-Allegheny) would increase penalties for violating permit conditions to $75,000 per violation from $50,000.
Heating Assistance: House Bill 2216 (Allen-R-Schuylkill) providing additional funding for Low-Income Heating Assistance.
Deep Mine Safety: House Bill 2229 (Bastian-R-Somerset) amending the Bituminous Coal Mine Act to put in place additional safety measures prompted by the Quecreek Mine Accident in July 2002.
Hybrid Exemption: Senate Bill 1015 (LaValle-D-Beaver) exempting hybrid electric vehicles with a fuel economy rating of 40 mpg or greater from inspection requirements.
Senate
In-Lieu of Tax Payments:
Senate
Bill 868 (Scarnati-R-Warren) increasing the in-lieu of tax payments for
Forestry Task Force: Senate Resolution 137 (Madigan-R-Bradford) re-establishing the Forestry Task Force supported by the Joint Legislative Air & Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee was adopted by the Senate and now moves to the House.
Eco-Terrorism: House Bill 213 (Godshall-R-Montgomery) adding the offense of eco-terrorism as a crime was reported from Senate Judiciary Committee after being amended.
Waste Tire Recycling: House Bill 1114 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) amends the Waste Tire Recycling Act was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Snowmobile Registration: Senate Bill 995 (MJ White-R-Venango) amending the ATV/Snowmobile registration requirements was reported from and referred back to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Eminent Domain: The Senate Appropriations Committee reported out Senate Bill 881 (Piccola-R-Dauphin) and Senate Bill 897 (Brightbill-R-Lebanon) making changes to the Eminent Domain Code in response to the U.S. Supreme Court Kelo decision, after being amended and are both on the Senate Calendar for action. NewsClip: Eminent Domain Bill Delayed
By a vote of 40 to 10, the Senate this week passed Senate Bill 1201 (MJ.White-R-Venango, Musto-D-Luzerne) that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants by 86 percent by 2018.
Groups Representing Sports Men and Women Support Hunting Fee Increase
Rep. Bruce Smith (R-York), chair of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, said this week many groups that testified before his Committee on June 8 supported in the increase in fees.
“License fees were last increased in 1999, and the proposed increase would
not take effect until
“The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, as well as many other sportsmen’s organizations, support a fee increase for the PSG to maintain their many existing programs as well as implementing new ones,” said PSFC president Ted Onufrak.
Robert Erikson, representing members of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation said his group supports House Bill 2601 as a means of generating much needed income for the Game Commission.
Noting that the last hunting license increase passed in 1999, Wes Waldron, president of the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania said his organization supports House Bill 2601. “Within five years (of the increase) inflation had the agency beginning to consider the need for cutbacks,” he said.
Rep. Smith added that there appears to be little support for enacting legislation creating a $20 conservation stamp from the committee and that he will drop that measure from the committee’s agenda.
NewsClip: Dispute Over License Hike Continues
Mercury Emissions Reduction Bills
The measure – Senate Bill 1201 – was introduced by Sen. White and Sen. Ray Musto (D-Luzerne), Democratic Chair of the Committee.
The action comes after three public hearings by the Committee which heard testimony from public health experts, environmental and sportsmen groups, the departments of Health and Environmental Protection, the U.S. EPA, labor, coal and business groups.
Similar legislation-- House Bill 2610-- is pending in the House.
“This bill will require power plant owners to invest hundreds of millions of
dollars in advanced clean air controls to reduce mercury emissions, covering 90
percent of the power plants in
Air Quality Improvement Tax Credit: House Bill 2771 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) establishes the PA Coal and Air Quality Improvement Tax Credit giving power plants that install advanced air pollution control equipment and burn Pennsylvania coal a tax credit of $3/ton up to a cap of $30 million annually.
House Bill 1588 providing for the fluoridation of public water
House Bill 2067 setting limits on state spending through a constitutional amendment
Senate Bill 868 increasing the forest land in-lieu of tax payment.
Firearms & Hunting Legislation Proposed 2005-2006
HB 1181 Prohibiting
certain employers from discriminating against
certain employees who exercise their self-defense rights
HB 2231 The castle doctrine
SB 1156 Amending Title 18
(Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of unlawful
firearm records; and
prescribing a penalty.
House Bill 1588 providing for the fluoridation of public water.
House Bill 2067 setting limits on state spending through a constitutional amendment.
House Resolution 661 designating May as “Lyme Disease Awareness Month;” .
House Resolution 679 designating May as “Drinking Water Awareness Month.